Hey everyone! It is Spring again... I am very excited! New beginnings and opportunities are everywhere! Do you want to get involved with Parea? Its easy!!! Just DO IT!!!
I just wanted to give an update of what is going on here at Parea Community!
First of all I would like to thank our good friend Marilea, she prepared a delicious meal for about 50 homeless people on Resurrection Sunday, or Easter for all you pagans!!! (just kidding) The meal was absolutely wonderful... Ham, asparagus, buttered-up carrots, baked potato salad(yummy!!!) and desert... It is always so wonderful to be able to go a little above and beyond for these folks. They rarely get to eat anything nutritious or appetizing for that matter.
We have been continuing all of our food outreach ministries which are totally relationship based. It is such a blessing to be able to go down to Old Town Victorville and just hang out with these folks. I have learned so much these last couple of years about patience and unconditional love. It is so hard sometimes because of how hard a lot of these folks live, I wish that I could just say a word to them and save them somehow! But I have learned that I have just as many deep-seeded sins, just as many problems that these people have, they just aren't as apparent to all the world as theirs are. I may not be addicted to a drug or alcohol, but my pride runs so deep and so strong that it holds me back just as much!
Recently I read the "Wounded Healer" by Henri Nouwen. It is a very amazing book for those of us who wish to minister to people. Very simply, the book is about Jesus, how He became sin for us, but as ministers or servants we very rarely come to the point where we are that dedicated to those we are ministering too. Nouwen used an example of a pastor or leader being willing to leave everything to go after that one person like the parable of the lost sheep. I believe, like Nouwen, that we must come to point where we have to re-learn ministry! The western mindset is such that we do not let our weaknesses show, we hide every thing away under a rug somewhere in order to save face, to protect our rank. In some ways ministry is a power struggle, a way for people to have control over peoples lives. This is a false and dangerous approach, though it is practiced far and wide. The most important concept that Nouwen discussed addressed this very harmful condition. In order to be effective ministers of the Gospel, we must minister out of our wounds, out of our brokenness. This is the only way that a world full of wounded people will understand the power of the Resurrection of our Lover, our Saviour, our King!
In the future, you will be hearing a lot about Nicaragua. I recently visited this Central American country for about a week for two reasons. The first reason was to go serve an incredible ministry called Maranatha Christian Missions. The second reason I went was to explore the possibilities of purchasing a plot of land that would be able to support a Coffee farm(yeah that's right) and an orphanage/ministry center! I have a very ambitious vision for using coffee as a revolutionary, anti-corporate, ministry opportunity. Please stay tuned... we(as in you and me: we) are going to change the world!!!
